SISTER ACT
AFTER FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF HER ELDER SIBLING, CINDY OFILI IS MAKING A NAME FOR HERSELF ON THE WORLD STAGE, WRITES STUART WEIR
Family affair: Cindy Ofili has followed sister Tiffany Porter as a hurdler and has impressed this year
PICTURES: MARK SHEARMAN/PA
FACTFILE
Name: Cindy Ofili
Born: August 5, 1994
Club: Woodford Green with Essex Ladies
PBs: 60m: 7.37i, 100m: 11.39, 200m: 23.46, 60H: 7.89, 100H: 12.60
Achievements (60H/100H)
2016: Olympics 4th, NCAA outdoors 4th, NCA indoors gold; British Champs silver
2015: Worlds SF; NCAA outdoors silver; British Champs silver
Progression (100m hurdles)
2013: 13.34, 2014: 12.93, 2015: 12.60, 2016: 12.63
CINDY OFILI came of age at the Rio Olympics when she finished fourth in the final of the women’s 100m hurdles in 12.63. With Nia Ali running 12.59 for silver and Kristi Castlin taking bronze with 12.61 behind the gold medallist Brianna Rollins, Ofili was so close to a medal.
The women’s sprint hurdles was arguably the most loaded event in Rio, with the United States taking a one-twothree despite world record-holder Kendra Harrison and double Olympic medallist Dawn Harper-Nelson not in the US team.
Ofili relishes the competition. “It makes the event very exciting and it certainly keeps you on your toes,” she says. “You need to be running your best and performing your best not to be knocked out. It is motivation.